3 Habits That Can Sabotage Your Metabolism

When we’re having trouble losing weight, it can be tempting to place the blame entirely on our metabolism. Yes, metabolism matters, but it’s not beyond our control.

What we eat, how we move, and how we sleep – all of these have the power to rev up our metabolism, but many people unknowingly sabotage themselves in these areas.

Here are three common mistakes that can keep you stuck in a metabolism rut:

1. Not enough on your plate

If you have not heard it before: If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t starve yourself because it does not work.

Drastically reducing food intake is a sure way to drop your metabolism. Instead, focus on making wiser food choices.

Avoid processed food as they cause inflammation and prevent fat loss. And try to increase your intake of food and drinks that burn more energy, including lean proteins (like chicken breast or turkey), ice cold water, or an iced cup of tea or coffee.

Smart food choices are key, since weight loss results in fat loss and muscle wasting. And finally, stay hydrated …water, water, and more water.

2. Not enough of a workout

Not all workouts are created equal. While, yes, all exercise burns calories, it only cranks up your metabolism if it’s done right.

Make a decision to push yourself a bit more because doing the same routine over and over again won’t change things, and you won’t get the results you want.

Always check with your doctor if you have health issues, but try to include some high intensity interval training (HIIT) with two or three 30-minute sessions a week.

With HIIT, you’ll burn more calories, and boost your metabolism afterwards. n

It’s a good idea to track your progress so get something to help you do that. The ‘watch’ type ones will show you how much you’ve worked, how many calories you’ve burned, or the max heart rate you’ve achieved.

You can use this information to see your progress and boost your metabolism, and you’ll find yourself getting stronger every day.

3. Not enough rest 

Depriving your body of rest actually does your metabolism more harm than good so ease up. Sleep helps your body make the right amounts of hormones that drive your metabolism.

Without a good night’s sleep, your metabolism takes a nosedive, and the number on your scale goes up.

Plus, when it comes to overall health, sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your mind and body. So aim to get the recommended amount of sleep for adults – 8-9 hours of restful sleep (which means getting both REM and NonREM sleep).